Tag Archives: cuisine

The Creole Cuisine of the Seychelles finds its inspiration from its amalgam of the various origins present on the island. Herbs and spices (pepper, ginger, anise, cinnamon, saffron, cloves, nutmeg and chilli of course) subtly enhance fish, meat and vegetables preparations. Many recipes use massala which is a mixture of Indian spices.

Dishes are often served with this satinis or chutneys, composed of fruits or vegetables (mango, green papaya, bilimbi, carrot …) which are grated and marinated with chili, saffron, onion and pepper in a lime juice. But the authentic “Seychelles Touch”, it is the coconut milk curry: coconut milk is added after cooking and you get a smooth and fragrant sauce that goes wonderfully with chicken, seafood and vegetables.

A casual Seychellois Table

In Seychelles, you will not be totally disoriented by the table habits, as they are quite similar to the world’s. Breakfast is substantial and includes jams, toast, hot drink, exotic fruits (bananas, papaya, mango …) and fresh fruit juice, sometimes with eggs in various forms.

The lunch is usually light and quick, on the go in a take away (especially in the capital Victoria). For dinner, it is advised to take your time. It is served relatively early and this is the most important meal of the day.

On Sundays and feast days, islanders willingly engage in the joys of a barbecue or a picnic on one of the wonderful beaches of the Seychelles! On each island of the Seychelles archipelago, a multitude of tourist restaurants and hotel establishments welcomes travelers looking to experience the true Creole Food Experience(around € 25 per person). A tip to make your choice: If you see customers queuing outside a restaurant for a table, it’s a good sign! And if you are looking for a safe bet, go for the “Boat House” located at Beau Vallon on the island of Mahé.

Cook the Creole way!

If for your stay in Seychelles, you have opted for a villa with kitchen or aboard a catamaran, you can still eat the Seychellois way, we’ll get you started!

Do not look for hypermarkets, you will not find any. It is only in the capital of Victoria on Mahé that you will find two supermarkets worthy of the name. As for boutiques (small local stores), they will not offer you more than pasta and cans. You should rather stop at a roadside to pick up fruits, vegetables and fresh fish. And try to visit the picturesque Victoria bazaar. Its colorful and well-stocked market will allow you to buy all the spices that will give your meals all the flavors of the Seychelles.

The Fish

The fish is the main ingredient used for most dishes in the Seychelles. You should not miss tasting the fish in its various form on the islands of the Seychelles. Ultra-fresh, it is prepared and served in every imaginable form, from the simplest to the most refined: grilled, oven roasted, skewered, raw (marinated in lime juice, minced, sashimi and tartare), fried, cooked in broth or wrapped in a banana leaf, simmered in curry or rougail … one stay will never be enough to go around all the recipes!

It must be said that the Seychelles are home to a multitude of species of fish, each offering a different flavor and texture. The mains remain bouzwa (or bourgeois, whose succulent white flesh lends itself perfectly to grilled meats), marlin (smoked, served with salad), tuna , bonito, captain, bream, parrot, mackerel, in rougail or curry … and even shark, which is yet an endangered species…

Crustaceans, shellfish and octopus are not to be omitted. The zourite (octopus), crab, clams, shrimp, tec tec (small shell), also find their way into the composition of delicious entrees and soups.

Dishes for everyone

For those who prefer meat, the creole cuisine has everything. Recipes made with beef, pork, chicken and goat are also popular on the island. Curried, grilled or in stews, you will find dishes for all tastes. But beware meat pieces are cut and cooked with their bones. The more adventurous and those in search of new flavors should taste the fruit bat. This local specialty can be enjoyed in several restaurants on Mahé and on Praslin.

The Curry refers to a fragrant stew, whose composition comprise of tomatoes, onions, garlic, ginger, thyme and saffron or turmeric. Curry marries particularly well with meats. Do not forget to taste the rougail sausage (sausage and lentils with a spicy condiment made of tomatoes, garlic, ginger and chili, Just as on Reunion Island).

Seychellois Creole cuisine is simple but delicious. The dishes mainly comprise of fish and shellfish, rice and vegetables and finally, delicious exotic fruits. The food draws inspiration from the diversity of the origins of the Seychelles culture, French, African, Indian and Chinese …

In the eighteenth century, the first settlers landed in Seychelles. Their culinary tradition gradually incorporated tropical fruit and vegetables and warm seas fish into the dishes. At the same time, the slaves from the eastern shores of Africa, enriched the cuisine by eating roots like cassava, Taro and sweet potatoes … without forgetting fruits like banana. The proximity of Madagascar and Reunion (then Bourbon) promoted the use of leafy vegetables, vanilla and ginger, which are mixed with garlic, which became an integral part of the Seychellois cuisine.

At the time of the Intendant Pierre Poivre a garden of spices was created, which is now called “Jardin du Roi” at a place called Anse Royale. This garden is now rehabilitated and worth a visit. The Seychellois cuisine has been further enriched with the advent of Indian merchants. The masala curries and “pulaos” (kind of pilaf) are today listed in the directory of Creole cuisine. The Seychelles chutneys are also most probably inspired by the cuisine of India.

More recently, Chinese merchants and shopkeepers moved to Seychelles, bringing with them other flavors in addition to the oldest culinary traditions. Below is a traditional Seychellois dinner along with its recipe.

Have a feast guys!

Seychelles Crab Soup Recipe

Ingredients (serves 4)

-2 crabs

-4 water-baked sweet potatoes

-3 stalks of lemongrass

-1 tbsp. soy sauce

-10 g of fresh ginger

-1-2 chilies

-A few leaves of chopped fresh mint

-2 limes

Preparation

Clean the crabs.

Chop the lemon thinly.

Clean limes and draw-out zest.

Scrape ginger to remove skin and grate it.

Cut the peppers into small pieces.

Cook the crabs for about 5 minutes in boiling water. After cooking, remove the crab from the boiling water and allow to cool.

Cut them into four pieces.

Brown the pieces of crab in hot oil over medium heat. Add the water and bring to boil. Simmer a few minutes and skim the surface.

Seychellois Pork Curry

This recipe for pork curry is a succulent Creole specialty which very easy to do and that will delight all gourmets. And when you’re passing on the island of Mahé in the Seychelles, do not miss to climb the steep path to the “Jardin du Roi” to taste the original version.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

- 800g of Lean pork, cut into wedges

- 1 onion, cut into thin strips

- 2 small spoons of fresh ginger

- 2 garlic cloves, crushed

- 5 curry leaves

- 1 cubed potato

- 1 tablespoon of curry powder

- 1 tablespoon of saffron powder

- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

- 1 teaspoon of salt and half of pepper

- 1 half glass of boiling water

Preparation

In a pan heat the oil and brown the onions.

Add the curry powder and saffron powder.

Mix everything, but be careful to do all this on low heat or the taste of saffron and curry powder will be altered.

A quarters of meat already seasoned with salt and pepper.

Bask meat.

Add a little boiling water.

Allow to simmer and reduce.

Add some boiling water back.

Cover it and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.

Reduce the heat, add the garlic and ginger.

Add curry leaves and mix.

Add your potato pieces and mix well.

Cover 15 to 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened, and especially to allow the meat and potatoes to cook.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Banana in Coconut Milk

Here is a delicious Creole dessert that is as easy to do as the previous dishes and that will delight everyone – old and young alike.

Ingredients (Serves 3)

- 3 Banana

- 3 tablespoons of brown sugar

- 1/2 teaspoon table salt

- 1 vanilla bean or vanilla essence

- 1 teaspoon of nutmeg powder

- 1 pint of coconut milk

- Some cinnamon leaves or failing cinnamon sticks

Preparation

Peel the bananas, cut them in half and again in length …

Take a large, deep pan.

Place the cinnamon leaves (or rods) at the bottom .. Place the banana pieces on cinnamon leaves.

Add the sugar, salt, nutmeg and vanilla.

Bananas must be practically covered with coconut milk.

Adjust the heat to boil rapidly and allow to boil for 10 minutes at high heat.

After that, lower the heat and cook another 25 minutes or until the milk has reduced significantly.

Would you like to enter the world of Creole delicacies? If you desire to do so, instead of eating in a restaurant every night, trying all the little typical Creole snacks and specialities is a great alternative. Those are sold at all the little street vendors you will find everywhere on any of the islands in the Indian Ocean. They are very delicious and worth a try.

Here are the Top Snacks -both sweet and salty- you will find on street corners during your holidays in the Indian Ocean:

Salty Creole Snacks

Roti

The Roti comes from the Indian cuisine and consists mainly of flat bread like tortillas filled with vegetarian curry and chilli.

Dholl Puri

The Dholl Puri is not that much different from the Roti. It is served in the same way but it is prepared in a unique way stuffed with cooked yellow split peas which have been blended and seasoned. It remains a savoury treat so simple and handy that is always served in pairs.

Samoussa

Samoussas are little pasties traditionally filled with spicy mashed potatoes or chicken or fish or cheese which is usually accompanied with chatini as gajack or snack during tea-time.

Gateau Piment

Also known as chilli balls, Gateau Piments are little fried spicy peas-lenses balls that. They are usually eaten in bread with tea in the morning or made into Curry Burry a typical Mauritian-Indian Curry!

Boulettes

Boulettes originates from the Chinese cuisine. They are steamed balls made out of meat, chicken, tofu or vegetables which are served in a clear stock improved with fresh chives. You will certainly enjoy the soup accompanied with green chili paste or you can enjoy them in a salad with chili, pepper and oil.

Bringele Frire

These are sliced fried eggplants rolled up in a mixture of besan gram flour, garlic, onion and ginger. They are also available as Piment Cari Frire which is chilli peppers rolled up in the same mixture.

Gato Arouille

Another popular snack you will come across is the unparallelled gato arouille; a crisp, deep fried delicacy made from grated violette/taro roots. This salty sweety cake will definitely conquer you! You will not be able to stop yourself from eating them.

Gato Pomme De Terre

These are sliced fried potato slices rolled up in a mixture of flour and onion. They are also accompanied with chatini during tea time or breakfast.

Pain Frire

Sliced fried bread slices rolled up in a mixture of flour and covered with chatini cotomili (Coriander paste) make up the Pain Frire- Fried bread!

Wantan

Wantans are made by spreading a square wrapper with a small amount of filling in the center. The dumplings can be eaten in two ways- either boiled or fried. You will enjoy it in both ways!

Hakien

Hakien is a chinese appetizer. it is a local version of the spring roll with a flour batter replacing the traditional rolled wrapping which can be filled with vegetable, chicken, prawns, pork or any filling of your choice. They are delicious an usually eaten with chili sauce.

Bajas

The baja is a spicy and delicious ‘gajak’ which is not only easy to find, but also easy to make. You can find it anywhere on corner streets shops and they barely cost anything. If you are proposed Chatini, just accept, they are pure bliss with it.

Sweet Creole Snacks

Gato Patate

Massepain

The Massepain is a typical Mauritian cake. It is very sweet and quite similar to the known plain cake. It is mostly eaten at tea time or in the morning for breakfast.

Gateau Gingli

Gateau Gingli are small fried balls covered with sesame seeds. They are very delicious and will definitely conquer you.

Ladooo

These are also small cakes consisting of besan gram flour, grated coconut, almonds, butter and nutmeg and sugar. The mixture gets cooked and afterwards shaped into small balls.

Oundé

Oundé are small rice cookies refined with sugar, vanilla, cardamon and covered with grated coconut.

Gateau Patates

The mixture of this Gateau or also called sweet potato pasties consists of sweet potatoes, flour, coconut, vanilla and sugar. Subsequently they get fried before they can be eaten.

Wishing you an awesome trip around the Indian Ocean and Bon Appetit Biensure!

With its palette of cultures, Mauritius has the best to offer in terms of delicacies. Some restaurants do provide Mauritian foods, but leaving your hotel or villa might prove wonderful if you want to discover one of the hidden treasures of Mauritius. If you are one of those willing to hire a car and wind through the Mauritian roads, during your sojourn, to the city centres, markets and street corners, you will discover some of the best eats on the island.

A fusion of flavours from African, French, Chinese, Indian and English cooking makes up this unique and delicious cuisine: Seychellois’ Cuisine. With its broad ethnic diversity, the Seychelles will not only conquer you with its magnificent beaches but also with its mouth-watering delicacies.